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Understanding Heat, Air,
and Moisture Control
The gaps between design and performance
by Sarah K. Flock, CDT, AIA and Carole Ceja, NCARB, RRC
Photo © Bigstock.com
MANY DESIGNERS AND SPECIFIERS UNDERSTAND
CONTROLLING AIR, VAPOR, AND THERMAL TRANSFER
HELPS MITIGATE MOISTURE PROBLEMS WITHIN THE
BUILDING ENVELOPE. MOISTURE ACCUMULATION
IS A PERFORMANCE ADVERSARY THAT CAN LEAD
TO STRUCTURAL DETERIORATION, FINISH DAMAGE,
ORGANIC GROWTH, AND REDUCED BUILDING
LONGEVITY (FIGURE 1). HOWEVER, NAVIGATING
FUNDAMENTALS, CODE REQUIREMENTS, AND
INDUSTRY TRENDS RELATED TO THESE TRANSFER
MECHANISMS CAN BE COMPLEX.
30 the construction specifier | may 2016
CS_May_16.indd 30
The 2015 International Codes (I-Codes) were recently
released; as of this writing, six states have adopted the
2015 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and
International Building Code (IBC), with many more
expected to join in the months to come. Even when designs
meeting current codes are achieved, moisture issues can
result. This article explores the impact of recent code changes,
highlights various provisions’ potential limitations, and
presents examples of ‘gaps’ between codes and real-world
performance as they relate to the topics of air, vapor, and
thermal control.
www.constructionspecifier.com 2016-04-18 12:13 PM